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Good News
Perhaps some good news is in order.Foronething,theOyster Club on Middle Street is being rebornastheSilverStreetTavern thissummer,withthebaropen¬ inginearlyJuneandthediningroom ready two to three weeks later. Heading the new owner-management teamistheForsleyfamily,whoalso operate the same-named successful Silver Street Tavern in Waterville. “We’re remodeling, there are new owners and investors, and we’ll be offeringamenustrongonseafoodand steaks,”theyjubilantlyreport.
Just100feetdownthehillonMarket StreettowardthePortlandwaterfrontis “Granny Killam’s Industrial Drink House.”Withintriguingfeatureslikea three-inch-thickrockmaplebarfash¬ ioned from an old bowling alley and localartwork,thenightspotisfinally fillingthatgnawinglowervacancyin Merchant’s Row, the former Market Street Market. Named after co-owner BillBeasley’sgrandmother,thefour newownershope“toacertaindegree tofillthevoidleftbytheclosingofthe
TreeCafe”bybringing|Port!afidtop quality live music, &>medyzantl per¬ formances.Earlyacl.-Tscneamedbear thisoutintheformoftheNewYork reggae/funk bands Second Step and From Good Homes. Informal dining willincludenachos,sandwiches,ques¬ adillas,soup.
And,believeitornot,Whit’sEnd,the longtimebastionoflivelyconversa¬ tion,burgers,tacos,hotdogs,daily luncheonspecials,pooltables,darts, ferns,etc.onFreeStreet,ismovingits durable good times to the former Maine National Bank Building on the cornerofForestAvenueandCongress Street.Thenewkitchenwillbelocated inthefrontforquickandconvenient takeout at the former Night Deposit Walk-up Window.
And, speaking of Night Deposit Walk-up Windows, we are proud to haveinthisissuenewfictionfromour own Dan Domench, the very talented Californian Portlander screenwriter livinginCamden.Thisstory’ssofunny it’s lighting up our keyboards (see page47).
AsIwritethis,they’refinallytarring overthedangerousgaslinesthatthey exhumedandrepairedonupperForest Avenue. From what I understand, it’s allpartofavoidingacatastropheona scaleofthosewithdatelinesinIndia. There’s nothing inconsistent here— theorderly,responsiblereparationof failinginfrastructureissimplybluebirded with good news. H
Found this shard near an old dock siteontheupperForeRiver.Cobalt blue on white. A porcelain of some type—a bottom fragment. Is this a transferpattern?EnglishorChinese? Doesthepatterndateit?
IheardthatthecovebehindStan¬ ford’s Ledge (Brimstone Cove) where the Grand Turk’s remains ended up wasfilledinduringWorldWarII.I’m comparingearlychartsoftheshore¬ line(pre-WorldWarII)withcurrentair photos—see what we think the chan¬ cesareoffindingshardsinthegeneral vicinity!
BillMarshall,PhD Hallowell
DearPortlandMonthly
My name is Melody Gammon. Iwroteapoemcalled“Simmer.”It’s aboutabearwholikestoplay,toeat withhisfriendPete,likestorun,and alwayshasfun,toswim,isfitandtrim, isagoodpet,goestothevet,andhas somerecordstobeset.
ContributingEditorElizabethPeavey;StaffPhoto¬ grapher Francis DiFalco
Founders: Colin And Nancy Sargent
This magazine is printed on Maine-made paper pro¬ duced by Champion International. Bucksport. Maine.
Laser Cover Separations and image assembly by Cham¬ plain Color Service, (802) 658-6088. Cover printed by FranklinPrinting.(207)778-4801.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published by Colin and Nancy Sargent. 578 Congress Street, Portland. ME 04101. All correspondence should be addressed to 578 Congress Street, Portland. ME 04101,
Advertising Office: 578 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101 (207) 775-4339
Subscriptions: Inside U.S.: $20 for 1 year, $32 for 2 years.$40for3years.OutsideU.S.:add$6.
Newsstand cover date: Summerguide 1992, publ. June 1992, Vol. 7. No. 4. copyright 1992. PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is mailed at third-class mail rates in Port¬ land, ME 04101. (ISSN: 0887-5340). Opinions ex¬ pressed in articles are those of authors and do not represent editorial positions of PORTLAND Monthly Magazine. Responsible only for that portion of any advertisement which is printed incorrectly, and as compensation we will run a correctionin the following issue.Nothinginthisissuemaybereprintedinwhole orinpartwithoutwrittenpermissionfromthepublish¬ ers. Submissions welcome, but we lake no responsibil¬ ityforunsolicitedmaterials.
PORTLAND Monthly Magazine is published 10 times annually by Colin and Nancy Sargent. 578 Congress Street,Portland,withnewsstandcoverdatesofWinter¬ guide. February March, April. May, Summerguide. July. August. September, October, November, and December.
Again we welcome the thousands of summer visitors to our city by the sea to view our 10th annual Summer Collection of Maine Tourmaline Jewelry. Our staff has been busy during the winter and spring designing our finest andmostextensivecollectionever.Thisyear,youwillhaveover700piecesoffinejewelrytoselectfromandtryon... themostlusciouscolorsevertocomeoutofthemountainsofwesternMaine.Thesegemswhichhavewaitedforover 250millionyearstobefoundhavebeencut,polishedandsetintobeautifulpiecesoffinejewelry.Thedestinyofthese jewels:eachwillsoonadornabeautifulwoman.Comeinthespiritofdiscovery—wehavecolorswhichexistnowhere elseonearth...colorswhichwillstirpassionandinspiredesire.Pleasejoinusthissummer.We’llbeservingcookies and lemonade and will have a free copy ofThe History of Maine Tourmaline waiting for you. Cross Jewelers, 570 Congress Street & 129 Free Street, Portland, Maine. A few blocks up from the Old Port; 200 feet from the Portland Museum of Art. Pieces shown, $250 and up.
570 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101 Hours:Mon.-Fri.9a.ni.-4:45p.m.Thurs.‘til8:45p.m.ClosedSat.&Sun.
Canoeistspaddlingitspellucid waters,hikersstridingalongits shoreline pathways, and poets dreaming under stately trees thatlineitslengthfromSebago to the sea, the Presumpscot River could soon become a centerpiece and showcase of the Greater Portland lifestyle.
What once was a shameful open sewer of cities and industry could become a 22-mile recreational cor¬ ridor through six communities and a pointofpridefortheregionandstate. Itcouldhappenbeforethedecadeis done,somebelieve.Whilemuchofthe
Derived from the Algonquin Indian language and boasting at least 21 Englishlanguagespellings,Presump¬ scotmaybelooselytranslated“riverof many shallow places”—a reference to the many waterfalls and rapids that oncepunctuatedits280-footelevation drop from Sebago Lake to its tidal estuarythatemptiesintoCascoBayat Martin’s Point beneath the Route 1 bridge connecting Portland and Fal¬ mouth.
Excluding the Sebago-Long Lake drainages, the main stem drains 201 square miles which include a sub¬ stantialportionofgreaterPortland’s population, farmland, and industry. Whileitisahydrologicaldropinthe bucket compared to the Saco and Androscoggin,itsnearestsubstantial neighbors, the Presumpscot is the largestfreshwaterinputtoCascoBay. Itwasalsoonceitsgreatestdis¬ grace.
History
Themouthoftheriverwasthesiteof earlyEuropeansettlementin1623.A 1650accountdescribed“Theriver,for a foot deep, was all fish.” Indians caughtsmeltbythemillionsandused themasfertilizerfortheircorn.
A mill was built in 1646 at Lower Falls,todaythesiteofSmeltHillDam, whereinlandwatermeetstidewater.In 1738, the river was dammed here. Westbrook Indians objected that the dam prevented the salmon runs up¬ river and won their case in Boston beforethe“GreatandGeneralCourt,” whichorderedafishwaybuilt.
Nineteenth-century manufacturing followedtheavailabilityofwaterpower todriveitslooms,lathes,spindles,and sawblades. Most manufacturing was on a small scale, including paper¬ making,whichbegannearFalmouthin 1732. Papermaking was still smallscale when Samuel D. Warren bought hisfirstPresumpscotmillin1854.With the vast expansion of industry and commerce following the American Civil War, Warren expanded this one mill into a Westbrook-based empire thatboasteditsmainfactoryatCum¬ berlandMills“thelargestpapermillin theworld.”
Whileaccountsofindustrialwaste are found as early as 1867, paper¬ making used fewer and less toxic chemicals than later methods would require.Thelowerriver,thelasteight milesfromthegiantplantatCumber¬ land Mills—which actually straddles theriver—asfarasCascoBay,wasstill consideredascenicandrecreational asset.
In1896thePortlandstreetrailroad systembuiltRivertonParkasanat¬ tractionfortheircustomers.Builton thePortlandsideofthePresumpscotat today’s Route 302 (Forest Avenue) bridge, the park was intended as a
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pleasantSundayfamilyexcursion.It featuredacasino,troutpond,bicycle livery,andamileofstrollingtrails arrayed in two tiers. Many visitors venturedoutontheriver.
Many rented canoes at a riverside boathouse. One marvelous old photo¬ graph depicts a half-dozen canoes, eachwithaladydaintilyseatedinthe bow and a nattily-attired gentleman paddlingstern.
Others took steamboat excursions ontheriver,boardingatRivertonand traveling upstream to Cumberland Mills and downstream to Smelt Hill Dam. Although no doubt containing some hyperbole, a poem printed on the back of the Presumpscot Steam¬ ship Company timetables described theriveras“thefairestinMaine.”
As late as 1912, the river was rhapsodized in song, and a 1913 newspaper report noted prodigiouscatchesofsmeltat the dam.
WorldWar1,theboomtimesofthe twenties,thedepressionofthethirties followedbythepeakindustrialproduc¬ tion demands of World War II ended theriver’sglorydays.RivertonPark
“When two college studentsboatedthe wholelengthof theriverin1969, thenoveltyofthe expeditiongotthe hardystudentsa half-pagestoryin theEveningExpress. They threw up, itreported.”
wasdeserted,andnew,moreefficient methods of papermaking used vast quantitiesofvile-smellingtoxicchem¬ icals.
In 1946, the once-productive clam flatsofthePresumpscotestuarywere permanentlyclosedduetopollution. Inthemid-fifties,thestenchinthe estuarywassooffensivethathelicop¬ tersstationedat(today’s)Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary dumped loadsoflimetosuppressthestench.A 1966
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odor“sendshighwaytravelersbarrel¬ ing through to get away from the smell.”
When two college students boated thewholelengthoftheriverin1969, thenoveltyoftheexpeditiongotthe hardystudentsahalf-pagestoryinthe Evening Express. They threw up, it reported.
Inhis1974PresumpscotRiverhistoiy, Ford Reiche described the sad state of the river: “Today, the once sparklingclearwatersofthePresump¬ scotaresomiserablypollutedthatno wholesome forms of plant or animal lifecansurvivethere."
Paint on riverside homes turned blackandpeeled.Thesurfaceofthe riverwasamassofbrownbarkchips mixed with foaming chemicals. “Like rootbeerfloats”and“foamburgers” are commonly heard descriptions. The Presumpscotwasnotonlydead,itwas adisgrace.
Thedisappearanceofthefeet-deep foam burgers immediately brought anotherproblemtovisualattention: rawsewage,particularlystraightpipe discharges from Westbrook and Port¬ land. Following high water flows, riverside trees were festooned like Christmas ornaments—with toilet paper.
By 1979, both Westbrook and Portland had treatment plants onlineandthestateraisedthe classificationofthelowerriver to“C”—itslowestlegalclassifi¬ cation.UnderClassC,thestatecon¬ siders the water clean enough for fishing,boating,andswimming.
Westbrook’s cleanup was accom¬ panied by a general urban improve¬ ment project that spruced up Main Streetandcreatedamileofriverside parks and pathways between Saccarappa Falls (Bridge Street) and the river-straddlingmill.
These parks instantly became the aestheticcenterofthecity.Joggersran, canoeistspaddled,childrenswamand
playedball,allwithinsightofthemill’s towering smokestacks. And poets dreamed.
Little happened during the 1980s until the end of the decade saw two seemingly unrelated events provide theimpetusfortoday’sriverimprove¬ mentefforts.
Troubled Waters, a now-famous report,describedCascoBay’spollu¬ tion problems and stimulated bay¬ wide debate and action that encom¬ passedtheentirewatershed.
nhancements to the newTukey’s Bridge (1-295) completed the Back Cove Trail, a 3.6-mile bikeway-footpath around a body of water that had once been as badlypollutedasthePresumpscot.
EWithwaterqualityoncemoreahot topic,agroupofwaterqualityprofes¬ sionals split off from the Greater Portland Council of Governments to form Presumpscot River Watch in 1989. These included environmental engineer Roger Bondeson and Univer¬ sityofSouthernMainebiologyprofes¬ sorandfreshwaterecologyexpertRay Riciputi.Ultimateplanswerevague, but the scientists knew how to test water.
PRWalsorecognizedthatthenature of the water pollution problem had changedintheyearssincethemega¬ discharging Goliaths of industry— such as S.D. Warren—had been slain, oratleastsubdued.Thenewthreatsto the water were a myriad of smaller residual sources, each small, even trivial,whentakenindividually,but which collectively account for 60 percent of today’s water pollution according to the U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency.
Fourthreatsaregenerallyconsid¬ ered most important in northern New england rivers. Since each class of pollutantcomesfromavarietyofsmall sources, they are commonly grouped under the heading “non-point sour¬ ces.”
Fecal bacteria enters the water throughleakingsepticsystems,barn¬ yard runoff and from “combined sew¬ age overflows”—sewage system by¬ passes that combine municipal sanitarywasteswithsurfacerunoffsin timesofheavyrain.
Nutrientoverloads—typicallynitro¬ gen and phosphorus—enter the river fromfertilizerrunofffromgardensand
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farms.Thesechemicals,largelyharm¬ less by themselves, feed explosive algaegrowthsthatleaveavisiblegreen scum on the water and consume oxygenthatfishneedtobreathe.This processiscalledeutrophication—the LakeEriecondition.
Freshlyfreedfromtheconfinesof GPCOG, the PRW scientists devised a battery of tests, trained dozens of testersandlabtechnicians,andfound— nothing.
In its first year of testing, PRW reportedthePresumpscotin“substan¬ tialcompliancewithitsthreesegment classifications: Sebago to Dundee Dam,“A,”toS.D.Warren,“B,”and“C” belowthemill.
Last year, PRW concentrated on fecal bacteria—and sampled after rainstorms. When the organization's 1991 testing program “revealed re¬ peated and sometimes drastic viola¬ tionsofstatewaterqualitystandardsin both the upper and lower river and tributaries,”itwasbignewsinstate¬ widepapersandontelevision.Repor¬ terskeyedinonbacterialevels10,15, and in some cases, 30 times the allowablelevels.
Almost overlooked was another
Chronic/es
majorPRWcontribution:theinvolve¬ ment of more than 100 high school studentsinitsfirsttwoyears.Thiswill expandtonearly300thisyear,largely under the direction of Riciputi and Westbrook High School science teach¬ erTonyBlack.
Thisyear’seffortwillalsoshiftdir¬ ectionsomewhat.Fecalbacteriatest¬ ing will remain important to PRW’s programbecauseitisoneofthestate’s legalclassificationparameters(there areseveral)anditgrabsheadlines, volunteersandfinancialsupport.
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This method involves collecting, classifying and counting benthic macro-invertebrates (botom-dwelling insectlarvae)nettedfromthestream. Itreliesonthefactthatsomespecies (suchasrat-tailmaggots)cantolerate high pollution levels, while others (stoneflylarvae,forexample)flourish onlyincleanwater.PRWisfirstin Mainetousethismethod.
Classification
Riciputihasbeenteachingasecond team of hand-picked high school students to classify and count the “critters.”
Stacey Sheriff, a Falmouth sopho¬ more,sortsthecrittersunderadis¬ secting microscope and explains, “If allwegetarethetolerantones,that meanstheriverisintoughshape.”
PRW has created a cleanup momen¬ tumthatsurprisesevenitsfounders andseveralotheranti-pollutionprog¬ ramshavehitchedtheirwagonstoits risingstar.
TheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture, AgriculturalStabilizationandConser¬ vation Service is using Presumpscot watershed farms to demonstrate its non-pointsourcepollutionabatement cost sharing program to show how improved farm management can aid waterquality.
USDA Cumberland County director Mike Marchetti currently supervises distributionof$190,000tofarmers; eachgrantisforaspecificprojectto reducethefarm’spollution.Targeted pollutantsincludethreeofthemost important:fecalbacteria,nutrientover¬ loads,andsiltrunoff.Therearemore thanadozenpre-approvedprojectson USDA’slist.Mostlocalgrantswillbe for manure pens, livestock fencing, fieldandbarnyarddrainageandero¬ sioncontrol.
Marchetti estimates that 200 farms (out of almost 300) in thewatershedareeligiblefor cost-sharing assistance. He has already targeted several “problem farms." While noting that participationisvoluntary,heisnot waitingforapplicantstocomeinon their own. “There are a number of farms that know they have problems andhavealreadyindicatedtheywant toparticipate,"henotes.“Thereare others who haven’t a clue—and won’t untilwecomeknockingontheirdoor.”
MarchettisaysthatPRW’smonitor¬ ingprogramwascriticallyimportantin securingfundsforthepilotprogram. Washingtonneededassurancethatthe program’seffectivenesscouldbemeas¬ ured. “PRW was instrumental in the factthattheirnetworkisinplacewith twoyearsofbaselinedata,”hesays.
PleasantRiverRiverkeepersisan¬ otherprogramthathasfollowedPRW. A volunteer group organized and funded by Cumberland County Soil andWaterConservationDistrict,Port¬ landWaterDistrict,CascoBayEstuary Project(itselftheprogenyofMaine Department of Environmental Protec¬ tion and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and the private conservation-sportsmen group Trout Unlimited,PRRthisspringlauncheda conservation and education program on the Pleasant River, the Presump¬ scot’slargesttributary.
On April 25 its first project planted2,000willowshrubsto stabilizeamileoferodingriv¬ erbank.Inaddition,TUfisher¬ menareactingasriverteacher¬ ambassadors plus promoting TU’s catch-and-release program. PRR is goingintoareaschoolswithanele¬ mentarygradeleveleducationalout¬ reach program and plans a “Fish and FrogFestival”forWindhaminJuly.
While PRW was organizing its ar¬ mada of water watchers, a similar organization was mobilizing an army ofjoggers,bicyclistsandhikingenthu¬ siaststopushforanurbantrailsystem inandaroundPortland,andbyexten¬ sion,farbeyond.Mostlyattorneysand| landuseexperts,PortlandTrailsisa whollyprivateorganization,incorpor¬ atedasaconservationlandtrust,that envisionsa30-milesystemofmulti¬ use trails connecting a number of i existing parks and open spaces. i
Study an aerial photograph of the greaterPortlandarea,lookingforlarge, undevelopedgreenareas,andthePres¬ umpscot River corridor, from Fal¬ mouthtoGorham,perfectlyfitsthat bill.Ironically,itwastheriver’soncehideouspollutionthatpreservedthese tracts.Untilrecently,nobodywould
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wanttolivethere.Forseveralreasons, nobodyeverwill.ButPortlandTrails may soon help put trails over these lands.
In March, PT published an impres¬ sive four-color wall map, “Linking Open Spaces: A Vision for Portland Trails.”Itsproposedroutesaredotted ingreen.ThePresumpscotcorridoris liberallydotted.
While PT president Nathan Smith emphasizesthatalternativetrailloca¬ tions could be chosen, there is no avoiding the overwhelming advan¬ tagesofferedbytheriverfront.
Itofferssomeofthearea’sfinest scenery,includingafinestandofoldgrowthwhitepineinFalmouth.Itis largely undeveloped and because of zoning restrictions (conservation¬ protection in Falmouth and West- ■ brook, industrial in Portland) will | likelystayundevelopedfortheforsee-; ablefuture.Largetractsarealready! publicly owned—including Riverton ! Park. The privately owned tracts are ■ large—and consequently few in number.
Both the Westbrook Comprehensive Plan and the Falmouth Open Space Planhavemadeexplicitprovisionfora trailsystemandpublicaccesstothe river.Falmouth’sincludesamapwith trails dotted through most of the Presumpscot corridor. Westbrook’s objectivescontainthefollowinglan¬ guage:
Upstream from Westbrook, the Gor¬ ham Land Trust has already begun to createariverbanktrailsystemthat features the remains of some inter¬ esting Civil War industries. From Westbrook to Sebago, the remains of theoldpre-CivilWarCumberlandand OxfordCanalparalleltherivermostof the way. In a few places a footpath alreadyexistsandseveralmilesalong theriverareparalleledbypicturesque countryroads.
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PT president Smith sounds a most un-lawyerly euphoric tone when he says,“Thiscouldbeafantasticoppor¬ tunity—to open up the Presumpscot corridor to the public—it’s a great hidden and undiscovered natural re¬ source.”
PT board of directors member Tom Jewellisevenwillingtoestimatethat theentiretrailsproject—fromSebago to the sea—could be accomplished in fiveyears.
“Thiscouldbe afantastic opportunity— to open up the Presumpscot corridorto the public— it’sagreathidden and undiscovered naturalresource.”
While both he and Smith acknow¬ ledgethatalthoughPTisaveryyoung organization,withanalready-fullplat¬ terofplanswithinthecitylimits,the vision of a Presumpscot River trail creates its own following and can become,inarealsense,aself-fulfilling prophecy.
Much the same line of thinking prevailsatPRW.Withnoenforcement powerswhatever,thereisnothingPRW canactuallydoaboutthepollutionit finds.Butmostoftheremedialaction— particularlyeliminatingthemunicipal combined sewage overflows—is local and PRW leaders know that they have created a renewed constituency for water quality in the Presumpscot communities.
Theyexpectmorewillfollowwhenit publishes its Presumpscot River Guide,includingcanoeingdirections, thisfall.Children’sauthorandformer newspaper editor Amy MacDonald—a PRWco-founder—iswritingit.
She is adamant about cleaning up theriver“foritsownsake”andnotfor recreationasanendinitself.Butshe takesprideinintroducinganewcon¬ stituency.“It’shadsuchawretched historythatit’sbeenforgotten.Butit hasagreatdealofpotential.Itcould become such a lovely river.”
AFTER HOURS
ViolenceintheOldPort afterhourshaspolarized the community, received negativecoverageinthe BostonGlobe,andvilifieda smalldistrictnicknamed the“ThreeDoorsofDeath.” Inthisfragileeconomy dependent on tourism, mishandling this problem couldbeatragicmistake.
By KEVIN LEDUC_
"Because the other members have an allegiancetothegroup,theywillasserttheinterest oftheirgrouptowardsthepolice.Wienthat happensitbecomesahorrorshow. ”—Lieutenant MarkDion,PortlandPoliceDept.
Fridaynightatthefights.Where can you go today to see such a grandsight?Reportshaveitthat theOldPortinPortlandisthe place to go. I don’t know who willbeonthefightcardfortonight,but restassuredtherewillbea“Yahoo”in one of the corners. Reports of the Old Port’s shifting image are well docu¬ mented.Atthetabloidextreme,theper¬ ception is that Late Night Old Port is becoming a “combat zone,” where near riotconditionsexist.Onanygivennight, afterthebarsclose,thesereportssaya fight is to be had. With brawls and vandalismoccurring,thereishostilityin thestreets.Chargesofpolicebrutality and a spring housecleaning by city councilorsarealleged.Accusationsare flying everywhere, and people say the councilorsareimposingtheirmoralityon thedistrict.PoliceChiefMikeChitwood has been dubbed “Media Mike” and a “Demigod,” and the media is charged withcreatingbigger-than-lifestoriesfor profit.
As my wife and 1 head southbound on 1-95oneFridayevening,1thinkaboutthe goodtimes1hadintheOldPortwhenI
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was younger. Names of taverns have long faded from my memory since my “grazingdays”ofyesteryear.Whatever !yourinterest,listeningtorock’n’roll, jazz,orclassical,youcouldalwaysbe assured of finding a good mix of entertainment.
ReturningtotheOldPort,weare hopingtogetaviewofwhathas changedovertheyears.Weexit at Franklin Avenue and turn rightontoMiddleStreet.Cars are parked everywhere. People are walking up and down the streets 'mingling.Theyareactive,butitisnot asbusyasIhadanticipated.Weride “One noticeable socialdifference fromyearspast isthelargesquadrons
of men or women migrating from one bartoanother.I remember visiting theOldPortwitha coupleofbuddies, butthe‘herding’ we see taking placetonight is something new.”
around the block, down to Moulton StreetandontoCommercial,searching foraparkingspace.Finallywefinda place to park on Exchange Street in frontoftheCircusPizza—rightinthe heartofthe“CombatZone.”According toMajorSteveRobertsofthePortland Police Department, we can patronize 49 drinking establishments within a 1,000-footradiusfromwherewestand. Notwantingtodiveintothingstoo quickly,Iwegetoutandwalkaround justabittogetasenseofhowpeople areacting.Afterall,fromthereports that I have heard, you never know when someone might decide to blindsideyou.
We visit half a dozen establish¬ ments.Beerseemstobethechoiceof theday.Exchangesarethesameas1 remember,althoughthebarstodayare |clearofsmokycigaretteexhaust.Out| side the streets are swelling with
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people.Somepeopleareveryloud.A hootandhoarsescreamechoesagainst theagingbrickbuildings.Onenotice¬ ablesocialdifferencefromyearspast is the large squadrons of men or women migrating from one bar to another.IremembervisitingtheOld Portwithacoupleofbuddies,butthe “herding”weseetakingplacetonight issomethingnew.InfrontofCadillac Jack’sisagroupofsixorsevenguys, andfurtherdownthestreetIseemore large groups. As we head toward the Old Port Tavern, a group of 8 women ishavingagoodtimestandingonthe corner.
The time is closely approaching midnight.Ourfeetaretiredfromwalk¬ ingthecobblestonestreets,andbore¬ dom sets in. My wife comments, “You know,Kev,Ijustcan’tdothisanymore. Idon’tseewhatissoattractive.Every¬ one is young and they seem to be havingagoodtime,butI’mbored.”We decidetoreturnhome,knowingthatin the morning we might read a report aboutalatenightbrawl.
Feelingunsettledwithanumberof unansweredquestions,Isetout to spend the next evening with the Portland Police. I hook up with Lieutenant Mark Dion. Lt. Dionisinchargeofaunitdesignedto overseetheOldPortDistrict.Hisunitis comprisedof20men:himself,2ser¬ geants,8undercoverpoliceofficers, and9patrolmen.InApril,theOldPort Districtacquiredtwoadditionalspec¬ ial officers, Spree, a 15-year-old geldingriddenbyJoseCarpenter,and Amato,an11-year-oldgeldingridden byDominicRozzi.Beforetheirassign¬ ment to Portland, both horses and ridersunderwentextensivetrainingin Bostonforequestrianpoliceduty.The horsesinstillacalmingandsomewhat sedateeffectonthestreets,andmost importantly,thehorsesprovidetheir riderswithabirds-eyeviewofstreet actions,enablingtheofficerstodiffuse escalatingandpotentiallyviolentsitua¬ tionsfasterthanpatrolmenonfoot. Lieutenant Dion and 1 hop into an unmarkedpatrolcar.“Whataboutthe Old Port being labeled a “Combat Zone?”Iask.Thelieutenantdisagrees with the analogy and says he would comparetheOldPortatmospheretoa Daytona Beach or Virginia Beach. Here,likeotherplaces,youngpeople come from all around to have some
fun,toleavetheircaresbehindthem.“1 came down here the other evening withmywife,”Itellhim,“andoneof thefirstthingswenoticedwaspeople traveltogetheronthestreetsinlarge groups.” He agrees and goes on to explain that he has seen groups of people come in from Augusta, Bath, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
“I’ve even met people who have come up from Somerville, Massachu¬ setts,andBoston.Theyloaduptheir carsandjumponthepiketoPortland.”
A thunk in the back of our car interruptsourconversation.“Doyou hear that?” the lieutenant asks me. “Thatguyovertherejustpunchedour carashecrossedthestreet...Ithap¬ pensquitefrequently.Barelyanight goes by that the car doesn’t get punched or kicked by someone.” Dion’s car is unmarked. It could be anybody’scar.PeoplecometotheOld Portonanewprinciple,onewhichis based on unconditional freedom. I guessmaybetheprincipleisn’tneces¬ sarilynew.Butwhatevertheirrespon¬ sibilities,beitsocialoreconomic,they seematleastmomentarilyforgotten. “What we have here is a Yahoo men¬ tality.Wearenotdealingwithcrim¬ inals.Wearedealingwithpeoplewho havebecometotallyuninhibited,and they test boundaries of acceptable behavior,”Dionsays.TheLieutenant believesthattheexistingproblemin
“Themostinteresting thing to me was how a number of myofficers hadsneakerprints ontheirbacks from being kicked.”
theOldPortisnotalawenforcement problem as much as a peace-keeping problem. “What do you do with a Yahoo?”heasks,thenanswershisown question.“Youcan’targuewiththem. Youtryanythingtode-escalatetheir behavior. You cajole him, you humor him—youdowhateverittakestokeep attentionfrombeingdrawntohim,and fromprovokingacrowd.Hecontinues, “There’safinelinebetweentheatre andariot.Itmakesforarealtoughjob for my men on these streets. We are
Portland Observed.
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alwaystryingtomaintainthatfineline. IfwekeeptheYahoosintherealmof theatre,it’scalledambience,butifa guy decides to go foolish on you, it becomes a problem," he says.
Theproblemofmaintainingaccept¬ ablesocialconductisparticularlysen¬ sitive when police have to interfere withagroup.Lt.Dionpointedoutthata greatmixofsocialgroupsvisittheOld Port. He recognized that “natural tensions” exist between groups, and thatthehighestriskofdangeroccurs whenthepolicehavetoenteracrowd toquietaYahooortostopafight. “Because the other members have an allegiancetothegroup,theywillassert theinterestoftheirgrouptowardsthe police.Whenthathappens,itbecomes ahorrorshow,"Dionsays.Thisscen¬ ario unfolded a number of weeks ago whenpoliceattemptedtostopafight. A crowd of 75 to 100 people gathered aroundandthenbattledpolice.Five menwerearrested,andthescenewas broadcasted on WGME News 13. “News 13 kind of forgot to show my officer’sfacegettingkickedin...Itwas unfortunate how the incident was portrayed.Themostinterestingthing itomewashowanumberofmyofficers hadsneakerprintsontheirbacksfrom being kicked. This Conveys how some YahoosfoughtinaKung-fustyle.Mindyou,notasingleofficerwasknocked down—theywerealwaysontheirfeet,” hesays.
AsweturnthecornerontoMoulton Street, 1 hear another “thunk” echo fromtherearofthecar.Before1am able to comment, the police radio interruptsourconversation.Thecallis fromanofficerindistress.Apparently the officer is in a foot chase of a suspectandneedsourassistance.The lieutenant immediately locates the suspect.Runninginourdirection,Isee a man dressed in a brown leather jacketandjeans.Wetakepursuitinthe vehicle.Inaninstant,themandarts behindaparkedcarandheadstoward the back entrance of Casco Northern Bank. He momentarily eludes us. Dion’sacutedrivingskillsallowhimto respond quickly. We race into the bank’sparkinglotlikeanepisodefrom “TheStreetsofSanFrancisco.”Wepull up alongside the running man.
Sensingthecorrecttime,Dionbrakes thevehicletoahalt.Inaflash,Dion jumps out of his car, cornering the suspect.Likeacat,themanchanges hisdirectionandzig-zagsbetweenthe carsparkedinthelot.Wetakeoffafter thesuspectonfoot.1grabmycamera andbegininhotpursuittocapturethe chase on film. We are joined by anotherofficerandthechasecontin¬ ues down Commercial Street and past the “Three Doors of Death.” With a healthylead,themanroundsabuild-
We
are joined byanotherofficer andthechase continues down Commercial Street andpastthe
“Three Doors of Death.”
ingandback-trackstowardthebank. There he is greeted by two more pol¬ icemen, but he eludes them, too. He runs toward Fore Street, and I hear sirensblaring.BythetimeIgettothe cornerofForeandMoultonStreets,my legs are burning. I witness people emptying out of the Old Port Tavern andSharkey’s.
The biathlon man is running down Moulton Street toward Commercial. People watch as police cruisers block off the streetfromeachend,entrapping thesuspect.Allofasudden,someone yells,“Let’sgogetthem.”1amfrozenin utterastonishment.Iwatchacrowdof 25to30peoplechargeafterthepolice. 1makehaste.Ithinkas1amrunning, “There’s something not quite right here.”1amrunningafteramob,thatis chasingafterthepolice,whoarein pursuitofasuspectwhoisunknownto us though we are chasing him.”
AsIneartheendofthestreet,1can seethreepoliceofficersrestrainingthe suspect.Heislyingfacedownonthe sidewalk (see photos on page 20). 1 get down on my knees to take photo¬ graphs. Suddenly someone steps in front of my camera and nudges me withhisfeet.Hesays,“Hey,stoptaking pictures of my buddy!” 1 attempt to move him away. He refuses to yield andagainstepsinfrontofme.Istand up to move to another angle. The
judgmental crowd keeps a watchful eye. From the darkness, a man emer¬ ges.“Hey,comewithme.Iwanttotalk toyou,”hesaysashegrabsthebackof my arm. I attempt to move away from theman,buthetightenshisgrip.He demands, “Give me your film.” In an attempt to get me to surrender my camera and film, another man en¬ croachesuponme.SensingIambeing cornered, Lt. Dion quickly throws a meathookontothescruffoftheneck ofmycaptor,andinonegreatscoop, flingstheYahoototheground.Once freed,Isilentlywalkbacktothecar.
Dr. Paul Shaftner, a professor of SocialPsychologyatBowdoinCollege, explainsheoftenhearsyoungpeople, especiallynow,withreducedchances foreconomicadvancement,claimthat they are “disenfranchised” and are markedasan"alienatedgeneration.” Thiscultural“alienation”isoftenused asanexcuseorjustificationforper¬ sonalfailureandill-receivedbehaviors suchasfighting.Hefeelssomeindiv¬ iduals behave more aggressively due to“de-individualization."
Why is a small section of the Old Port called “Three Doors of Death?” Answering where people say they are iseasy—theRangelight,SailLoft,and Angie’s, all on Commercial Street; whetherit’sfairornotisconsiderably moredifficult.Ignatius“Iggy”Dudkiewicz of Cadillac Jack’s comments thatonanyFridayorSaturdaynight 5,000 people or more visit Old Port establishments,and“onlyaverysmall percentage causes problems.
The answer to why these bars are called "Three Doors of Death" is a matter deeply embedded in the myth¬ ologyandhistoryofthewaterfrontand would require a dissertation on the folklore of Portland's Old Port to explain.
IstheOldPortaCombatZone?No. It'saniceplace.Theproblemsdown here are in no way restricted to theseplacesandareconfinedtothe hours when bars close. If you’re hangingaroundtheOldPortthen,you havetoaskyourselfifyou'rereallypart of the solution. In a period when peoplearenarrowingtheblame,per¬ hapsweshouldconsiderwideningit.
SERVING GREATER PORTLAND FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS ★FullBreakfastMenuAllDay! * Edna’s Made-Famous-From-Scratch Muffins! (Newfatcholesterol-freemuffins!) ★ Fresh Ground Gourmet Coffee-Regular & Flavored * Complete Lunch & Dinner Menu! (DailySpecialsOffered!) *QualityFoodatAffordablePrices!
ClayHillFarm
“Beefsoleanitshouldbesoldbyprescription.”
RestaurantReviewByMarkMickalide
TheClayHillFarmRestaurantcan befoundinveryattractivesur¬ roundingstwomilesoffRoute1 in Ogunquit. The outstanding reputationofthistavernandthe leafygreensplendorofthelandscap¬ ing, as well as the convenience of eating there in the shade of Mount Agamenticus and then catching a show at the Ogunquit Playhouse, has for years made it a popular stop for dinersonthecoast.
The menu now includes many lowfat,low-cholesteroloptionsinaddition to what many consider the hallmarks offinedining,deservedlyornot.
Theappetizersoffercasesinpoint withEscargotinGarlicButter,Scallops Wrapped in Bacon, Baked Brie, and ShrimpCocktail.Amongtheremaining selections we chose Baked Artichoke Dip($4.50)andCrabCakeswithHol¬ landaise ($5.95). The artichoke dip wasaramekinofhotcheesepudding, lightlyspicy,tastingstronglyofChed¬ dar,andservedwithtoastedpitabread. ThisMiddleEasternrarebitwasgood, asthingshotandcheesyare,butthere wasnoindicationofartichokeintaste, texture,orcolor.Thecrabcakeswere similarlyspicyandheavilyfilledout with bread or cracker meal. Starchy crabcakesdon’tbothermeaslongas theytastegoodandthepricereminds me that presently bread is much cheaper than crab. The Hollandaise, wateryandmuchtooyellow,hadbeen applied to the crab cakes like an ointment. Such a thin layer could mercifullydolimiteddamage.
TheentreesincludedGrilledChick¬ en, Haddock with Pecans, Chicken Boursin,avegetarianeggplantdish,a couple of steaks, and Duckling with ApricotsandOranges.Fromatleasta dozenotherofferingswechosePrime Rib ($19) and Lamb Noisettes with Rosemary and Garlic ($19.50). The PrimeRibwasdescribedasnaturally lean and grown free from additives. Unfortunatelyitisthefatinmeatthat provides the tenderness and much of theflavor.Themeatthatwasserved lackedbothbutwasextremelylean.If itisnecessarytoeatthistypeofbeefto behealthyitshouldbesoldbypre¬ scription. The lamb noisettes were alsovirtuallyfatfree,aswouldbe expected,buttheywerealsodenuded oftheflavoringsasdescribedonthe menu. The lamb arrived as three un¬ seasoned, unsauced one-inch kebabs. The accompanying vegetables and ricedidlittletohelpjustifythenear$20 price.
Thereisalargewinelistthathas been picked with an eye to good vintages,butitisexpensive.Thereis alsoabetter-than-usualselectionof ports,cognacs,andarmagnacs.
Thedessertlistwaswritteninaretro mode, with selections such as Peach Melba, Mocha Fudge Pie, and Ice Cream Sundaes. We chose the Cheese¬ cakewithFruit(strawberries).Itwas lightandcrumblyinwhatIthinkofas theNewYorkstyle.Itwasgood.
Overall,thesettingwasniceandthe foodwasadequate.Theappetizershad flavor even if they were not those mentionedonthe-menu,andthemeats were cooked as ordered, though the seasoningsappearedtohavebeenleft ontheshelf.Butwhenthepricesare stratosphericandthefoodissouni¬ versally recommended, the dishes served must be impeccable, not just passable. HI
CoveringthenightlifeofPortland, culturalandentertainmentcap¬ italofNorthNortheastNewEng¬ land...well,itcangetdepressing out here sometimes. Bad bands mish-mashing styles and eras in a brainless race to please whoever staggersinthedoor.Goodmusicians in bad bands whose highest ambition is to play in somebody’s wedding. Terrible money for everyone. People on stage without a clue, playing for peopleintheaudiencewhosemusical taste is formed by one of the dozen terriblelocalradiostations.Arethere anybandsleftwithbrainsandgutsand personality?Sure.Absolutely.Sohere aresomeofmypicksforqualitynights outthissummeroflove,1992,Port¬ land,Maine.
BEST LOCAL BAR BAND. Every¬ body’sfavoritecategory,therereallyis
nocompetitionrightnow.Ladiesand gentlemen, meet the Boneheads! Formed out of the wreckage of the Inspectorslastyearthisquintetplays rockin’andsoulful,withgreatvocals fromBobColwellandtwoofthebest guitars around, Roger Sampson and StevieJones.Infact,partofthefunis hearingthesetwoplayoffeachother. Goodrockandrollsongwriting,too. Catchthemliveorontape,available fromMarkLourieat878-2330.
HONORABLE
MENTION.
A night spent in the company of one of the localveteranhornbands,likethePort CityAllStarsortheRedLightReview, canbealotoffun.Classicbluesand soul.
BEST LOCAL TRIO SIGNED TO A MAJOR RECORD CONTRACT. Devonsquare has resurfaced on Atlantic after a couple of years with a new
band-orientedstylefeaturingguitarist RobbieCoffin.Theycontinuetoper¬ formsomeoftheirolderfavorites,and the harmonies are strong, but it is difficult to change your sound and keeptheoldaudience.Somenational airplaycouldreallychangetheirlives rightnow.
BEST LOCAL TRIO UNSIGNED TO A MAJOR RECORD CONTRACT. Knots&Crossesjustmighthavethat modern folk sound that Devonsquarc issearchingfor.AftermovingtoPort¬ land from Boston, K & C released a localCDwhichhassold3,000copies todate,generatingconsiderablein¬ dustryattention.Strongsongwriters but not really dynamic performers, singerCarolNoonanhasadistinctive voicesuitableformajorradio.Toobad no local stations besides WCLZ have thebrainstogetbehindthem.
BEST SKA NIGHT OUT. For those wholiketheirrockandrollwithataste of Jamaica, check out locals Active Culture or Boston-based Bim Skala Bim and (Bop) Harvey. High energy, fun.
BEST ROOTS REGGAE. Rockin’ Vibrations.
BALD MOUNTAIN CAMPS
ontheshoresofMooselookmeguntic
Established in 1897 as a sport-fishing and summer familyresort.Rusticlogcabinswithfireplaces,bath/ shower;boats/motors;canoetrips;fly-infishingtrips; tennis.TheoldestandfinestAmericanPlanResortwith expansive menu. Spectacular sunsets await you! Mid-MaythruSept.;Brochureavail.;Yourhosts: Stephen&FernlynPhilbrick,P.O.Box332, Oquossoc, ME 04964; 207-864-3671/864-3788
BEST COWBOYS. Silver Dollar Band.YouhavetodriveuptoCountry Crossroads in Standish to see them, but it’s about the only Texas twosteppin’bandintheseparts.
BEST HORN BAND THAT PER¬ FORMS IN BARS. From Boston, the Heavy Metal Horns can do that Tower ofPowerthangandalotmorebesides.
BEST HORN BAND THAT DOESN’T PERFORM IN BARS. I wish there wereahall,no—anaudiencefor,noI meanaradiostationtoplay,anyway, somebodyouttherepleasegetOrange ThenBluebackuphere.We’retalking Big Band here, a true American art form.Andwhilewe’reonthesubject, why doesn’t someone beside myself organizeapublicrehearsalbigband. Like at, say, Raoul’s on an early Sunday?Theplayersareoutthere,the musicexists,andthetimeisrightfora newgenerationoffans.Justathought.
BEST FEMALE JAZZ VOCALIST. Augusta area knows Marguerite Juenemannasaworldclassperformer,and nowPortlandisstartingtodiscover her,too.Majorvoice,withgreatrange andstyle.Usuallyworksinatrioformat withbassandguitarorpiano.
SAIGON THINH THANH VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
Congress Square ( .Vear (he Portland Museum of Art anil the Sonesta Hotel) 773-2932
Open 7 days a week
Lunch Monday Io Sunday 11 AM to 4 PM
Dinner Sun -Wed 4-10 PM. Thurs -Sat 4-11 PM MC VISA AMEX Gladly Accepted 608 ('ongress Street . Portland Maine
BEST JAZZ CLUB. CafeNo,20Dan¬ forthStreet,hasearnedareputationas thelisteningroominPortlandforjazz performersofeverystripe,withBoston and New York musicians alternating withlocals.Goodfood,too.Thisin¬ stitutiondeservesyoursupport.Watch forMandalaOctet,ROVASaxQuartet, and other non-mainstream music.
BEST JAZZ BAND, FUSION DIV¬ ISION. Fusionheadsjustcan’tlistento anything else, and now some of the bestlocalplayersareoutinpublic.The organizerisdrummerPhilVerrill,and they have landed a regular gig at Verrillo’s,Exit8.Call8834449.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED, FEMALE DIVISION. Andrea Antognoni of Papa Loves Mambo.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED, MALE DIVISION. DanMerrillofCor¬ nerstone.
BEST LOCAL SONGWRITERS. This
THE ART GALLERY AT
SIXDEERINGSTREET
PORTLAND. MAINE 04101 (207) 772-9605
ELWYN DEARBORN. Director
A new exhibition ofcontemporaryrealistpaintings in all mediums each month, September-December, March-June.
getstricky,becausesongwritersaren’t alwaysperforminginpublic,andthe musicians who do perform aren’t Inecessarilygoodwriters,eventhough theymaybesuccessful.Inotherwords, not that many local bands with fol¬ lowingsdotheirownmaterial.Thisisa sad commentary on local bands. The exceptionsareCornerstoneforTop40 rock,TheSenseformoreofanalbum rock sound, the Broken Men for holding up the Grateful Dead torch, and my band, Papa Loves Mambo. And ifyounotice,allthesegroupshave beentogetherforawhile,andnonew bands are coming along. Why? It’s gettingreallyconservativeoutthere, folks.AndI’mtalkingabouttheyoung audience.It’sjusttoodifficulttogeta bandstartedinthefaceofrisingcosts, declining work and money, and com¬ plete consumer indifference. As a result,alotofgoodworkisbeingdone onhometaperecorderswhichofferno public exposure, other than the oc¬ casional performance on WMPG from 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays. (Thanks, Dan.)PaulFarrarandRossTimberlake (also known as Marvin Boone) are examplesofartistsinneedofwider exposure.Alsoonthewritingfront: John Stuart, the Whigs, and Darien Brahms.Trythesepeopleifyoucan. Call775-2159foraMarvinBoonetape; youwon’tbesorry.
BEST BAND NAME, SONG TITLE, AND NEW BOSTON BAND. The Swingin’ Steaks, “Suicidal at the Wishing Well.”
BEST LOCAL METAL BAND. Yes, stepalittlecloserandyou’llseethere isone—TwistedRoots.Seethemifyou dare.
BEST LOCAL GIRL GROUP. The Brood.Surfmeetsgarageandtheygo outtothedrivein.ThreeCDreleases whichhaveinternationaldistribution. Obviously, they must be doing some¬ thingright.
Those oldies but goodies, Monday night at 11 p.m. on MPBN, hosted by ; TonyLaBoudiliere.Allsongsarefromj theBillboardchartsoftwentyyears ago,buttheloony/inspiredpremiseof theshowisthatonlynewcomerstothe chartareplayedinorderoflisting.This|
AMaine Tradition.
Because since 1933, we've been servingtravellersandlocal residentsgreatfoodatvery reasonableprices.Andour famousdinnerselections includefreshMainelobsters, thicksteaks,juicyprimeribs andlotsmore. Valle’s
HANS and BARBARA JENNI Innkeepers Tel.207-647-2522
RESTAURANT SWITZER STUBLI - Authentic Swiss Cuisine prepared by Chef Johann JenniandpresentedbyhostessLisaJenni.WienerSchnitzel.Raclette, BeefBourguignonne.SwissWinesandfullliquorlicense. DinnerServedNightly5:30-9:30P.M.
BEST COMEDY CLUB. Comedy is supposed to have been the next big thingaroundhereforsolongthatyou forgetthatafewplacesareactually succeedingwithit.TheCave,25Forest Avenue under Zootz is decorated like BarneyRubble’srecroom,andThurs¬ daynightisstandupwiththreegifted comedians Kevin Shone, Joanne Chessie, and Tim Farrell. Tough, funny, kinda dangerous, the way it’s sup¬ posedtobe.
BEST DISCO. Zootz, 31 Forest Avenue,greatmusic,allstyles,good peopleandallagessometimes.Areal nightclub.
BEST WORLD MUSIC CLUB, LIVE AND RECORDED. Same.
BEST NU MUSIC CLUB, LIVE AND RECORDED. Same.
CLUBOWNER OF THE YEAR. Owneroftheabove,ChrisClark.His continued support of the performing arts through commitment of his own resourcesisunequaledinthisarea. Patronizehim.
BEST R & B AND BLUES CLUB. Raoul’s. New blood, new ownership, andanewlystabilizedcalendarkeeps the national acts and local blues happening.
BEST ACOUSTIC CLUB. Raoul’s. But where they achieve world class statusisintheacousticbookings.Just a who’s who of new and old in folk. Tuck and Patty in a small club. Now that’sanightout.
BEST CRUMMY DIVE. Sometimes youwantthis.1know.Geno’shasgot whatyou’relookingfor.Atmosphere, artstudents,andsomeseriouslygood bands,butnotalways.Justgo.Located onBrownStreet.
Hisworkismoreuniversalthan regional.His,simplespiraland figure-eightearringsareseen everywhere and are as imme¬ diately recognizable, even to theuntrainedeye,as,say,aCorvetteor afrisbeeoraStephenKingnovel.
They dangle from fortunate women in Bermuda, London, Geneva, Paris, andthecoastofMaine,wheredesigner Michael Good hides out. With their negative space, they’re as cool as lipstick,bottomlessfigureeightswith¬ out fronts or backs twinkling in a mercantileTwilightZone.
The understated, lobster-buoyed Mainetruthis,MichaelGood,50,of
Camden, is white hot: “Discovering negativespaceinjewelrydesignwasa seriesofmoments,whereyoulookat somethingandsay,‘Oh,lookatthis, I’vegotit!’Iwaslivinginashackin Dennisvillewithnorunningwater.I had decided to try to make hollow formsintosophisticatedformswithno tools.That’swhenIfirststartedtowork withshellstructure,”hesays.“Butthe exact moment it happened, my feet weren’t in any reality then. The moment I figured how to guide the open seam spiculum in space, that’s whenIwasdoingsomething!Iwasin mybarn.Iwasafraidtogettooexcited, becauseweweresoisolatedoutthere itwaseasytogivethingsmoreimpor¬ tancethantheyhad.”
Whatcolorwasthebarn?
“It’s 100 years old, white,” says
Good,surprisedbytheabsurdity,the fallingbricknessofthequestion.“1 walked to the house and told Karen, mywife,but1didn’tdaretreatitlikea breakthrough. Until then I was just figuring'outthingsotherpeoplehad brokenthrough.Atleastthatway,in yourignorance,you’realwaysworking fresh.”
“It depends what window you look out,”helaughs,consideringtheanticlasticityofhisanswer.“Ononeside there’safieldandwoods.Infrontofus isRoute1.I’mlookingacrossthestreet ataboatthat’sbeingbuiltinCamden Harbor. And then there’s always Libby’sChevrolet."
“Igetprettydiscouragedsometimes, totellyouthetruth.Igetinajumble, worrying.Ithink,‘Ismytimenolonger my own?’ I make it a point never to show negative moods at the shop. My wife knows when I’m depressed. On theotherhand,Itrynottocareenough
Howdoyoucheeryourselfup?
“SometimesI’llfeelrotten,terrible,I go to my studio and suddenly, poof! Thethingis,Iamanorganized/disorganized person. I know how to sit down and make something that sells, andIfindthatreallyunsatisfying.It’s reallyverystrange.Theseformsareso trueandsensuousandvery,verybasic. Ialmostdon’ttakeresponsibilityfor them. Now I have 15 employees and I’m never quite sure something is goingtohit.They(luckytimes)hap¬ penveryseldom.You’reluckyifyou haveoneofthesediscoveriesinyour lifetime. The hyperbolic continuum waslikethis.IwasinSt.LouiswhileI was subbing for Heikki Seppa, my own former instructor whose work has beenaninspirationforme,inclass.1 wasunderpressure,reactingtoques¬ tions,andthen...”
“Yes! They call about ridiculous emergencies.They’llsay‘I’vestepped onanearringandwilldieifyoucan’t getanewoneintimeformetoleave forEuropeinthreedays.’It’shardto completely sympathize with someone asfortunateasthat.”
“My dreams are too strange to be jewelry.It’snotthat1hatespheres,it’s justthatItrytoseetheseashellwithout theshell.”
Whatkindofpaintingsdoyoulike do that —illustrate negative space?
“When I go to a museum, 1 never lookatthenamesofanything.ButI think Cezanne made a kind of break¬ throughinthatdirection.Hepresented theworldverysimplybutwhichwasa worldallitsownwhichtoldeverything aboutanartist.InAsianarttheeffort getsthemindtogoinratherthanstay ontheoutsideandobserveasaspec¬ tator.IalsolikeDutchpainting.”
“There’sawayoflookingatDutch painting where you see more than a nicely made rug or a nicely made face.”
It’sunseeingratherthanseeing?
“As soon as you want to see some¬ thing, you’re in the wrong frame of mind.Theveryactofdoingthatcan blindyou.Yougotoseealighthouse thatlookslikeapictureyou’veseen andifit’snotlikeit,youdon’tlikeit.If youtravelwithexpectations,you’ll misseverythingbutyourexpectations. Expectationsarefantasies.Aesthetic¬ allyspeaking,don’tliveyourvacation beforeyoutakeit!Iguessthat’sit.It sometimes takes a shock—like anti¬ clasting—tolookatsomethingwithout prejudice,tolearnthepleasuresof beingcaughtoffguard.It’saddictive, andsucharelief!Peoplewantsecurity, religion,knownanswers,comfort.You havetogiveallofthatuptodiscover something.” H
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TheOaklandIlouse,est1889.invitesyoutoenjoyits quiet,friendlyatmosphereandfinedining,includinga weeklylobsterpicnicatthebeach.Nearbyaresecluded family-size cottages on East Penobscot Bay and a spacious guest house Please write for more details in our free brochure.
A SALTWATER FARM
Enjoythecountrycharmofour1?50waterfrontfarm¬ houseInnandCottagesnickedawayamid60acresof woods,fields,andfarmanimals.Rusticlodgeavailablefor groupfunctions.Hike,boat,fishorrelaxintheunhurried pace. Open May-Oct.
Callorwriteforinformation. Innkeepers:Unda&JoeForest Box290,Brooksville,ME04617 (207)326-8628 or Nov.-Apr. (707)433~FARM
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Marcia and Jim Schatz, 1 nnkrtprr' P.O. Box 437, Blue Hill. Maine 04614 (207) 374-5126
Bed & Breakfast on the Lake ...loonwatching,swimming, canoeing,relaxing.Sixlakeside rooms,privatebaths,quietsetting. ConvenienttoBlueHill,Castine, DeerIsle,andBarHarbor.
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Events
6:30;astronomyshowsbeginat7p.m.,and laserlightshowsbeginat8:30p.m.Admis¬ sionis$3foradultsand$2.50forchildren andseniorcitizens.Childrenunder5arenot admittedtoeveningshows.Calltheplane¬ tariumofficeat780-4249forshowschedules. FolkmusiciansEllenandtheSeaSlugswill beattheSacoRiverGrangeHallinBarMills for ContraDancing, the firstSaturdayof everymonth at7:30p.m.Adultsareadmit¬ tedfor$5;couplesfor$8;studentsfor$4;and familiesfor$12.
TheSeashoreTrolleyMuseum,195LogCabin Road,Kennebunkport,willholdthefollow¬ ingspecialevents:on June 12 and13, there willbe AMurderMysteryontheTrolley, a “whodunit”inamostunusualsetting.On June27,Mr.McFeeleyofMr.Rogers’Neigh¬ borhood willcometovisitfrom10a.m.to5 p.m.;andonJuly1,it’s CanadaDay, where peoplecanseeandridecarsfromthelargest collectionofCanadiantrolleysoutsideof Canada.
The 14thAnnualFounder’sDayCelebration willtakeplaceinSouthParis,Maine,onJuly 18.Eventsincludeaclassicandantique automobileexhibit,craftandantiquefairon thevillagegreen,andtoursoftheOldOxford CountyJail(nowtheHamlinmemorialLi¬ brary).Thecelebrationwilltakeplacefrom9 a.m.to5p.m.
From August6through9, the UnitedMaine CraftsmenCumberlandCraftShow willtake placeattheCumberlandFairGrounds,11/ 2mileseastofRoute26,WestCumberland. Thisshowwillconsistofover250craftspeople andMainefoodproducers.Hoursarefrom10 to5daily;admissionis$2foradultsandfree forchildrenunder12.Formoreinformation, contactPennyEvans,showdirector,at4432787.
!TheOwl’sHeadTransportationMuseumwill holdthefollowingspecialeventsthroughout thesummer:On June14, the Fabulous50's AutoMeetandAirshow willtakeplace;a MilitaryAviationandAerobaticShow willbe heldon June27and28;July12 willbringa ConvertibleandCustomMeetandAirshow, on July 25 and26, therewillbean AntiqueTruck andTractorMeetandAirshow. Thebigevent oftheyear,the AnnualTransportationRally andAerobatic Showwilltakeplaceon August 8and9; on August23, therewillbean AuctionofAntique,Classic,andSpecialInter¬ estAutos-, the AntiqueMotorcycleMeetand AerobaticShow willtakeplaceon August30; on September16 willbethe Sensational SixtiesMeetandAirshow,andonSeptember 27,a ChevroletMeetandAirshow willtake place.Alleventsstartat10a.m.andrun through4p.m.;admissionis$5foradultsand $3forchildrenages5to11.Aspecialfamily rateof$15admitstwoadultsandtwoormore childrenunder18.Formoreinformation aboutanyoftheseevents,contactCathy Lathamat594-4418.
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Thisextraordinarysevenroomcustom-builthomefeaturesacentralchimney withtwoCountRumfordfireplaces,amasterbedroomsuiteonthefirstfloor,a solargreenhouse,privatelocationattheendofHoward'sPoint,5.15Acresof beautifully landscaped grounds, 1395’ of waterfrontage and magnificent southerlyviewsdowndieNewMeadows.$350,000.CallDeborahMortonfor moredetailedinformation.
WesternWay'sluxurycondominiumsinSouthwestHarboroffer fantasticwaterandmountainviews,pool,sauna,protected deepwateranchorageanddockequippedwithelectricityand water.Availabletopurchaseorrent.Remember... HOME IS
Award winning 20lotsinglc'familysubdivisionclusteredarounda4+ acre town common intheNewEnglandtradition.Over40%oftheentire parcelisdedicatedtoopenland.Lotsizesrangefromapprox.1/2to1 acreandfeaturepublicwaterandsewer,undergroundutilities,and walkingdistancetochurchesandschools.StartingatS54.900.
Averyspeciallocation-20minutesfromPortlandandtheMaineMall -overlookinganenormouswildlifesanctuary-Theseattractively designed condominium units make a perfect vacation home or very affordableyearroundresidence.
Williams Wesley Michael’s baggy pants drape sorichlyoverhistoesheseemstoglideon casters as he eases out the clanking auto¬ matic double doors of the Portland Jetport. He stays safely in the afternoon shadows until he has pushed his sunglasses firmly in place. He looks around for me, shrugs a couple of times to adjust his leather jacket, runs both hands through his thick hair and sighs. 1 smell popcorn. 1 think, weird. Popcorn. Mr. Michael is a movie director.
“I know,” he says, pretending not to watch me lowering myoffered right hand. “Call me Williams.” “Okay. William.”
“Williams."His‘s’leaks.
I am obediently repeating his name when a recorded male voice, irritated, interrupts from an overhead speaker: “Welcome to the Portland Jet¬ port. Do not leave your vehicle unattended.” The voice becomes adamant, rising, barely controlling his secret rage, “THIS IS A NO PARKING AREA!”
EXERGY EFFICIENT ACTIVE & PASSIVE SOLAR HOME Architectdesignedcontemporaryhome,nestledintothecontoursofthislovely woodedsite.Light-filled,thishomesitsonaslopeoverlookingayear-roundtrout brook.Anexceptionalpropertyof2.400sq.ft.oflivingspacewithVermont CastingsStoveandandtop-qualityconstruction.Additionalroomover2-car garageforaskylightedapartmentalreadyplumbedforbathroomandkitchenette. LocatedincoastalNorthport8milesnorthofCamdenand8milessouthofBelfast witheasyaccesstoRte.1,onlyminutesfromyachtclubs,golfcourses,fine hospitalsandyear-roundculturalcentersineitherdirection. AdditionalListings:1.4-acrebuildingsiteinBayside. 16acreswithbayviewsandnicelywooded. Gentleman'sfarm,organicgardens,andbayviews. 4-bedroomhome,withAppleOrchardonRouteINorthport. BrickstorefrontwithapartmentinSearsport.
Aqua-Terra Enterprises
Capt.George H. andArmit C. Jennings
— -- Real Estate Brokers/Marine Surveyor MLS . Box RFD#1. Belfast, ME 04915
(207) 338-3705
“Lovely,” Mr. Michael says, “Did your Chamber of Commerce come up with that? Wait, no, it’s a welcome especially for fascists. Couple weeks of this and you’ll have sex addicts in black leathers and handcuffs parking here just to make out." I see myselfinhissunglasses.Ilooklikeacarmechanic or a baggage handler.
“Do you have any luggage?" I ask.
“Idon’tthinkso.”Onesideofhismouthlifts.Not a smile. A message. Luggage is not cool.
“Let’s take a walk,” he says and strides away. He told me on the phone he’s never been to Maine. Where’shegoing?1havetohurrytohissidetohear him say, “I’m hoping 1 can work with you...” He keeps talking, but 1 can’t hear him over the as¬ cending snarl of an oily prop plane taking off, I imagine, for some lonely northern town that still waits for the warmth of summer—a town full of tightly-wound people hungry for one warm night. I start seeing what those people look like and what they’ll do when that hot night arrives, but I bump
into Mr. Michael’s back. He has stoppedtolightacigarette.Hesucks smoke and then continues walking andtalking,“Maineisfullofnaturally individualpeople,I’llgiveyouthat.But anyonewhoispayingattentionknows thatmodernpeopleliveuphere.Look atyou.Youdressbutch,butit’sstyle, notcondition.ThisisstillAmerica. Shit,CanadaisstillAmerica.Wegoto the same malls. We read the same magazines. Ten bucks says you read the Sunday New York Times. But people don’t want that. They want craziness. A book comes along and peoplereadabouthowwilditisupin Mainewithnutcasescrawlingaround inthesnowlikeit’sRomaniawithbig carsandcheapgasandtheytelltheir PBS-supportingschool-teachingfriends to buy the book, and you got a best seller.Icouldexploitthatinterest,I knowthat,thiscouldbemine,notthat I’msignedtothisprojectbecauseI’m not,I’mholdingoutandI’lltellyou why,facetoface.Idon’tknowifIcan shoot a film about poor people in house trailers crawling with babies fatheredbyconvicts.Career-wise.You canreadthatandthatmightsellbooks. That’sthemagicofreading.Youcan putabookdownandgrababitetoeat. But you set people down in a theater fortwohoursandtakethemtoTrailer City,TheThemePark,andthey’renot goingtothankyou.You’renotgoingto get good word-of-mouth out of that darkness.WhatIneedisaboyandan girl.Maybesomesexinthesnow.I’m thinkingoutloudhere.Butlet’ssayI tellyouastoryandyouwriteitandwe drop in a few poor people—good peopleincleantrailerstryingtobetter themselves and suddenly I’m wonder¬ ingwhatIneedthebookfor.I’mthe guyputtingloveinthisstory.”
He suddenly stops and stares straight ahead. We’re on an embankment at the edge of a marsh. There is a gray heron fishingthirtyfeetaheadanda smallflockofmourningdovesfeeding inthefennelandeelgrass.
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